It is necessary in the curing of tobacco to dry the leaves for a period of time after the harvest. The most common method of doing this is by the use of laths inserted through the stems of the plants permitting a number of the plants to be hung to dry at the same time.
A number of devices have been developed to permit the lath to be inserted through the stems of tobacco plants. However, existing devices lack certain desirable features offered by the present invention.
In order to optimize the use of laths, a uniform spacing should be maintained between plants. This spacing should be capable of adjustment over a wide range of values to accomodate variations in plant size, moisture content etc. Previous devices have not permitted this type of adjustment.
Devices have been developed which utilize a hollow spear having a point at one end. A lath may be inserted into the hollow spear and as plants are pierced by the spear they are fed onto the lath. The prior art apparatus used to guide the tobacco plant to the spear point and, from there, over the spear and onto the lath have not been altogether satisfactory. For example, the weight of the plant on the guides to the spear point often deflected the plant from the point. Further, in some embodiments the plant itself was required to force its way past spear holding means thus tearing or otherwise damaging the plant.